A possible bank robbery suspect in a minivan led police on a chase around and across much of the city for nearly an hour before giving up this afternoon in southeast Houston.

The chase came to end on Scott Street near the South Loop, where a passenger gave up, and the driver briefly tried to evade officers on foot before giving up peacefully.

The chase lasted about half an hour and looped much of the city, with the pursuit starting at about 12:45pm on the South Loop, traveling on the East Loop and North Loop before taking I-45 south, passing downtown, then exiting the freeway onto side streets in southeast Houston.

The suspect was briefly stopped by traffic on I-45 in the vicinity of the University of Houston, but he evaded authorities, striking the open car door of one HPD cruiser, and later sideswiped a couple of vehicles.

The suspect was believed to be armed, having reportedly pointed a gun at a teller during a robbery at a Trustmark Bank on the Katy Freeway. Something was thrown out of the passenger's side window at one point during the chase.

Officials deployed spike strips at least four times, trying to stop the suspect, but the driver avoided them.